Santa Admires the Tree

Santa Admires the Tree
Oil on panel, 6x8

Feeling nostalgic as the freezing rain is falling outside, I am painting Santa as he comes upon the beautiful Christmas tree.  I had so much fun painting  yesterday - my first ever Santa - I wanted to jump in and another!  Choosing instead a vintage mood for this one, I started with the lights.  When going with the glow of the lights, I find it easiest to mark out all the light areas before starting on the darks.  From those two, I then work into the mid tones, keeping the highlights warm and the shadows cool.  A friend suggested I paint Santa the first week of December, and now that I've tried it - I may just paint them every day until Christmas!  Well, I guess it is time to start on the cookies for tomorrow - our first Christmas dinner of the week is at my Aunt Diana's house, and I'm hoping we keep those snow totals down overnight!  Painting number 349 in 349 days - only four days left until Christmas!!

Plaza Lights on Nichols Road

Plaza Lights on Nichols Road
Oil on panel, 4x6

Starting my day with breakfast with family, my son and I then ran a few errands.  I had a small window of time to paint two miniatures - finally!  Next, a little shopping with my mom, followed by visiting in the kitchen for hours. While visiting, I brought down my paints and miniature panels - and finished three small canvases during our conversation!  I have two parties tomorrow - and will worry about the food prep in the morning!  Painting number 344 in 344 days :)

Santa Over the Plaza

Santa Over the Plaza
Oil on panel, 4x6
sold

Just a quick, whimsical piece for today!  Santa is flying over the Country Club Plaza in Kansas City in this small painting!  Some days, it just feels good to play in the paints a little and do something fun!  It is a busy day, as one of my cousins marries the love of his live!  Looking forward to a lot of extended family time this weekend!  Painting number 342 in 342 days - I wonder where Santa will be spotted next......

Christmas on the Plaza

Christmas on the Plaza
Oil on panel, 4x6 - sold

One of my favorite parts of Christmastime is seeing the lights down on the Country Club Plaza in Kansas City.  Everywhere you look, thousands of lights twinkle around the buildings - the beautiful architecture makes this evening light display spectacular.  We try to shop the plaza a few times while the lights are up, and always I am taking photos!  This one is from a shopping trip with my parents and youngest daughter, looking northwest from outside Forever 21.  I returned to my oils today - and oh the paints felt so creamy - going on just like butter with my brushes!  This is a new size for me as well - 4x6 inches.  Small - as my painting time is short, and because I found a few frames this size that would be nice for these little gems.  This is my final week to be completely ready for Christmas, as my family will be coming in on Sunday.  I try to have all things ready, so I can really enjoy our time together once they are here.  Painting number 335 in 335 days.......I think I will paint several of these before I move on to another subject.  Or, I may just bounce back and forth between all my Christmas subjects :)

Sister's Sweets

Sister's Sweets
Fish Creek, Wisconsin
Door County
oil on panel, 9x12

The town of Fish Creek is such an amazing place!  Picturesque with it's antique buildings and wonderful architecture.  This little sweet shop has the best chocolate in town - so say all the locals!  I will find out tomorrow, as I have been told they have peanut butter cups to die for!  When I started this painting, I actually wanted to do a floral, but the light was too far gone, and the shadows were overtaking my scene.  So, heading towards the shops with the best light show, I picked this beauty out - and began sketching.  This was a fun paint - and I so love the nocturnes!  I was pleasantly surprised the next morning - you never know just what you have until you bring a night paint into the light!  This is painting number 205 in as many days.  Looking forward to another glorious painting day tomorrow!

Cottage Illumination

Here is the nocturne I rushed off to paint last night again in old town Overland Park - a renovated 1908 bungalow.  Craig Sole is a such a kind, gracious host!  In the two times I have been there painting, he has come out with cold water with key limes, lemons and oranges - and last night he brought out split pea soup to nourish us!  This was a fun paint - so much to see with the indoor lights and the street lights on.  There is quite a glare on this photo - so I will try to get another tomorrow in the daylight.  The sky is actually a darker blue, and the house reads whiter than it really is. This is my 149th painting in 149 days as the Stems event comes to a close tomorrow.

Cottage Illumination

Oil on panel, 16x12

Craig Sole's Floral Design

Old Town Overland Park

Historic Plaza Lights

Historic Plaza Lights
Oil on panel, 12x9

The Kansas City Country Club Plaza Lights are something everyone should come see for the holidays!  A holiday tradition since 1930, these beautiful buildings are illuminated from Thanksgiving through January.  This is my first street scene - with cars and shoppers - and at night!  This is the view from outside Forever 21 - from a night of shopping with my youngest daughter and my parents. The dark, wet paint is hard to photograph at night without a glare - so I will retake it tomorrow in the daylight.  This is day 30 of 30 on the painting challenge - I can't believe I actually painted every day!